Electrical connector



April 7, 1964 F. c. SITZLER 3,128,143

ELECTRICAL CONNECTOR Filed Dec. 23, 1960 IN V EN TOR. F514 6. .fiz'izlerr United States Patent ()fiice 3,128,143 Patented Apr. 7 1964 3,128,143 ELEETRICAL CQNNECTQR Fred C. Sitzler, Mechanicsbnrg, Pa, assignor to Berg Electronics, Inc., New Cumberland, Pa, a corporation of Pennsylvania Filed Dec. 23, 1%9, Ser. No. 77,875 4 Claims. (El. 339223) This invention relates to electrical connectors and particularly to socket type connectors adapted for use with pin type terminals.

Pin type terminals are extensively used in groups mounted on a block or base, and frequently it is desirable to make several connections to the same terminal. The invention contemplates an electrical connector of the socket type which is constructed so that several may be disposed in series on the same terminal.

A principal object of the invention, therefore, is to provide a novel electrical connector of the socket type which is constructed so that a series of such connectors may be mounted on the same terminal.

Other and further objects of the invention will be apparent from the following description and claims and may be understood by reference to the accompanying drawing, which by way of illustration shows a preferred embodiment of the invention and what I now consider to be the best mode of applying the principles thereof. Other embodiments of the invention may be used without departing from the scope of the present invention as set forth in the appended claims.

In the drawing:

FIGURE 1 is an elevational view of a pin type terminal having a plurality of electrical connectors embodying the invention mounted thereon;

FIGURE 2 is a side elevational view of one of the connectors per se;

FIGURE 3 is an elevational view taken along the line 3-3 of FIGURE 2;

FIGURE 4 is a sectional view taken along the line 4-4 of FIGURE 2; and

FIGURE 5 is an elevational view of a connector embodying the invention, having an insulating sleeve frictionally fitted thereon.

As illustrated in FIGURE 2, a socket type connector embodying the invention comprises in general a slot type socket 10, a ferrule 12 for crimping on the bared end of a wire, and a ferrule 14 for crimping around the insulation on the wire conductor. The socket It preferably is of the construction disclosed and claimed in Patent No. 3,010,093 for Electrical Connector Assembly and Element, although other constructions of sockets may be employed. In any event, the socket is open and unobstructed at both ends for telescopically receiving and yieldably holding a pin terminal 16 as illustrated in FIG- URE 1, whereby a series of connectors may be secured to the same pin type terminal. In general the socket is constructed so as to have a good frictional fit on the pin type terminal 16 so as to provide good electrical con tact between the terminal 16 and the socket 10.

The ferrule 12 which is adapted to be crirnped on the bared end of a wire may be of the construction disclosed in Berg US. Patent No. 2,854,648.

Preferably the socket It and the ferrules 12 and 14 are made from an integral piece or strip of thin sheet metal, such as brass, which is siutably formed in accordance with techniques well known in the art to provide the ferrule 12, the socket 10, and the ferrule 14. Thereafter the prongs 29 which form a part of the ferrule 12 are crirnped around the bared end of a wire conductor 22 so as to provide a good electrical connection therebetween. A strip 24 of the metal integrally connects one end of the ferrule 12 to one end of the socket 10, while the other end of the socket has integrally formed therewith the insulation ferrule 14 which is adapted to be crirnped around the insulation 26 on the conductor 22. Preferably a tongue 28 integral with one end of the ferrule 12 projects into the ferrule 14 so as to be clamped thereby to the insulation 26 whereby the connector is securely afiixed to the insulated wire conductor 22-26.

Thus the socket 10 is secured in back-to-back relation with the ferrule 12, with the longitudinal axes thereof disposed substantially parallel. A flexible sleeve 30 of suitable insulating material may be frictionally fitted over the terminal assembly as shown in FIGURE 5 so as to prevent contact between the terminal and adjacent terminals or pins where the same are mounted in closely spaced relation.

While I have illustrated and described a preferred embodiment of my invention, it is understood that this is capable of modification, and I therefore do not wish to be limtied to the precise details set forth but desire to avail myself of such changes and alterations as fall within the purview of the following claims.

I claim:

1. An electrical connector comprising a strip of sheet metal formed to provide a slot type socket open and unobstructed at both ends for telescopically receiving and yieldably holding a spade terminal, and a ferrule integrally connected to one end of said socket for crimping on the bared end of an insulated wire, said strip having a fold transversely thereof between one end of said socket and one end of said ferrule, said socket being disposed laterally of and in side-by-side relation with said ferrule, said socket having a ferrule integrally connected to the other end thereof for crimping around the insulation on said wire, the wall of said socket transversely thereof being continuous throughout more than half the periphery thereof, and the arrangement of said socket and ferrules being such that the sockets of a series of similarly oriented connectors can be disposed in series on a common spade terminal with adjacent connectors disposed in overlapping relation.

2. An electrical connector comprising a strip of sheet metal formed to provide a slot type socket for telescopi cally receiving and yieldably holding a spade terminal, a ferrule for crimping on the bared end of a wire, said strip having a fold transversely thereof between one end of said socket and one end of said ferrule, said socket and ferrule being disposed in back-to-back relation with the longitudinal axes thereof in generally parallel relation to each other, a ferrule for crimping around the insulation on said wire and said first ferrule having an integral tongue projecting into said second ferrule, the wall of said socket transversely thereof being continuous throughout more than half the periphery thereof, said socket being integrally connected to said ferrules, the arrangement of said socket and ferrules being such that the sockets of a series of similarly oriented connectors can be disposed in series on a common spade terminal with adjacent connectors disposed in overlapping relation.

3. An electrical connector comprising a slot type socket open and unobstructed at both ends for telescopically receiving and yieldably holding a spade terminal, a ferrule for crimping on the bared end of a wire, a connecting strip of metal integral with said socket and ferrule and having a fold transversely thereof between one end of said socket and one end of said ferrule, and a second ferrule integrally connected at one end thereof to the other end of said socket for crimping around the insulation on said wire, the wall of said socket transversely thereof being continuous throughout more than half the periphery thereof, said socket being disposed in back-to-back relation relative to one of said ferrules,

the arrangement of said socket and ferrules being such that the sockets of a series of similarly oriented connectors can be disposed in series on a common spade terminal with adjacent connectors disposed in overlapping relation.

4. An electrical connector comprising a strip of sheet metal formed to provide a slot type socket open and unobstructed at both ends for telescopically receiving and yieldably holding a spade terminal, and an integral ferrule for crimping on the bared end of a wire, said strip having a fold transversely thereof between one end of said socket and one end of said ferrule, said socket being disposed laterally of said ferrule and having at the other end an integral ferrule for crimping around the insulation and said Wire, the wall of said socket transversely thereof being continuous throughout more than half the References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,309,887 Fulton July 15, 1919 2,266,530 Andren Dec. 16, 1941 2,540,037 Vough et a1. Jan. 30, 1951 2,724,813 Leland Nov. 22, 1955 2,741,751 Weiler Apr. 10, 1956 2,915,734 Alden Dec. 1, 1959 

1. AN ELECTRICAL CONNECTOR COMPRISING A STRIP OF SHEET METAL FORMED TO PROVIDE A SLOT TYPE SOCKET OPEN AND UNOBSTRUCTED AT BOTH ENDS FOR TELESCOPICALLY RECEIVING AND YIELDABLY HOLDING A SPADE TERMINAL, AND A FERRULE INTEGRALLY CONNECTED TO ONE END OF SAID SOCKET FOR CRIMPING ON THE BARED END OF AN INSULATED WIRE, SAID STRIP HAVING A FOLD TRANSVERSELY THEREOF BETWEEN ONE END OF SAID SOCKET AND ONE END OF SAID FERRULE, SAID SOCKET BEING DISPOSED LATERALLY OF AND IN SIDE-BY-SIDE RELATION WITH SAID FERRULE, SAID SOCKET HAVING A FERRULE INTEGRALLY CONNECTED TO THE OTHER END THEREOF FOR CRIMPING AROUND THE INSULATION ON SAID WIRE, THE WALL OF SAID SOCKET TRANSVERSELY THEREOF BEING CONTINUOUS THROUGHOUT MORE THAN HALF THE PERIPHERY THEREOF, AND THE ARRANGEMENT OF SAID SOCKET AND FERRULES BEING SUCH THAT THE SOCKETS OF A SERIES OF SIMILARLY ORIENTED CONNECTORS CAN BE DISPOSED IN SERIES ON A COMMON SPADE TERMINAL WITH ADJACENT CONNECTORS DISPOSED IN OVERLAPPING RELATION. 